Downtown Pleasanton is taking things to another level. Already known for its assortment of shops and outdoor cafes, city officials are attempting to make it a place for local artists to showcase their work.

$50,000 has been set aside each year by Pleasanton since 2000 and now their fund now has grown to over $350,000 and counting.

The downtown area is rich in architectural history but has little public art to show for it. The city’s plan is to bring pieces that “reinforce community identity and values.”

There have been quite a few ideas thrown out in the open that the city council is deliberating over. Among them are a rotating exhibit of banners, a sculpture on one of Main Street’s corner and artistically inspired benches all over the downtown area.

Another interesting proposition was a chalk festival on Main Street. Children and adults alike would be allowed to draw on sidewalks during the two-day-long event. I thought to myself: that would be quite a sight to see a bunch of hopscotch squares and names written in funky colors.

- Joseph Natividad